Cattle Handler Sallie Miller

One terrible winter storm caused Sallie and her family to adjust their entire business model to ensure that their land and cattle flourish.

Tell us about your work.

My husband and I are partners with my parents on a ranch in northeastern Colorado where we raise Red Angus cattle and have a small feedlot. I also work full-time at a bank as an underwriter. On weeknights, weekends, and vacation days I work on the farm doing the bookkeeping and helping out with the cattle. My most exciting season is when we get new calves.

What makes you feel strong in your work?

We’ve survived serious weather challenges. Now we get to look at it from the other side. That makes me feel strong. I didn’t feel strong when we were in it, but I do on the other side of it. 

How do you all protect your cattle during bad weather?

We knew we couldn’t go through calving season like we did during the bomb cyclone of March 2019. It was so severe that we changed our entire operation. Now our calves will be born in May/June versus March. We’re still adjusting because it affects everything – how we feed the animals through the winter, how we feed the cows during gestation, and how we raise and market our cattle. 

What do you do for fun?

I spend my spare time watching my daughter play volleyball. We’ve been watching these kids grow up since they were in kindergarten. It’s great to see how they interact with each and to watch them grow.